Chief Executive Officer - Highway Safety
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Overview
Job Description
Executive Summary
The CEO will provide the vision and leadership to drive the company’s next phase of growth. This role is responsible for the overall strategic direction, financial health, and operational excellence of the organization. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the highway safety industry, including pavement marking (long-line/specialty), sign fabrication/maintenance, and temporary traffic control. You will be tasked with scaling operations, maintaining a "Safety-First" culture, and securing high-value contracts with state DOTs, municipalities, and private prime contractors.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership & Business Development
Market Expansion: Identify and execute growth strategies into new geographic territories and service lines (e.g., Intelligent Transportation Systems - ITS).
Contract Management: Oversee the bidding process for major public and private infrastructure projects; maintain high-level relationships with DOT officials and engineering firms.
M&A Oversight: Lead potential acquisitions of regional competitors to increase market share and service density.
2. Operational Excellence
Fleet & Asset Strategy: Manage the capital expenditure (CAPEX) budget for specialized striping trucks, attenuators, and sign fabrication equipment.
Operational Integration: Ensure seamless coordination between the sign shop, striping crews, and traffic control divisions to maximize resource utilization.
Technology Adoption: Drive the implementation of automated layout technologies (e.g., GPS-guided striping) to improve precision and reduce labor costs.
3. Safety & Compliance
Risk Mitigation: Maintain an industry-leading Experience Modification Rate (EMR) to ensure the company remains the preferred bidder for high-compliance federal and state contracts.
Regulatory Mastery: Ensure all operations comply with the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) and OSHA standards.
4. Financial Stewardship
P&L Management: Full accountability for revenue growth and EBITDA margins.
Bonding Capacity: Work with the CFO to ensure the company maintains the massive surety bonding required for "Mega-Project" participation.
Candidate Profile
| Category | Requirements |
| Experience | 10–15+ years of executive leadership in Heavy Civil Construction, Traffic Safety, or Infrastructure Maintenance. |
| Expertise | Deep knowledge of liquid/thermoplastic markings, sign reflective standards, and work-zone logistics. |
| Education | Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Business (MBA preferred). |
| Skills | Political savvy for public sector lobbying; high financial literacy; ability to "talk shop" with field crews while presenting to a Board. |
Success Metrics (KPIs)
Safety Performance: Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and EMR.
Utilization Rate: Maximizing the ROI on million-dollar striping trucks and equipment.
Backlog Growth: The total value of multi-year "On-Call" and project-based contracts.
Customer Retention: Renewing long-term master service agreements (MSAs) with state agencies.
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